Machine gun cooling means



43-, 1947. R J, MONNER 2,416,768

MACHINE GUN COOLING MEANS 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1945' Patented Mar. 4, 1947 MACHINE GUN ooomNG MEANS Ray J. Monner, Denver, 0010., assignor. by mesne assignments, to Christian A. Sorensen, Lincoln,

N ebr.

Application October 16, 1943, Serial No. 506,613

4 Claims.

- This invention relates to a means for scavenging a machine gun and has for its principal object" the provision of means for preventing the transfer of heat from the firing chamber to the barrel; which will extinguish or inhibit bore combustion in the gun after each firing.

A" further object is to so provide a device for the above purposes which will be entirely automatic in its operation so as to require no attention on the part of the gunner.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detailconstruction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

I Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the breech portion of a typical machine gun illustrating the invention in place thereon; and

- Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through the breech, illustrating the latter in the recoiled position andthe invention in operation.

In the drawing parts of a typical machine gun are designated by numeral as follows: Barrel l0, barrel jacket ll, mounting yoke l2, tripod mounting 13, barrel frame l4, barrel frame housing [5, breech block l6, breech block slide [1, and cartridge belt slot 18. On the recoil of each shot, the barrel l and the barrel frame l4 move backwardly in unison with the breech block [6. At a predetermined point rearward movement of the barrel frame is stopped by conventional buffer means (not shown), allowing the inertia of the breech block IE to continue the latter in rearward motion for withdrawing the fired shell from the cartridge chamber 36 at the rear or breech end of the bore 31. The mechanism shown employs the rearward recoil movement of the barrel frame as its operating force.

The invention employs a cylindrical valve housing l9 which is supported on a tubular bracket 20 which is secured in the side of the barrel frame M so as to move in unison therewith. A slot 2| is formed in the barrel frame housing l to allow for the forward and back movement of the bracket 20. The inner extremity of the bracket 20 terminates in a nozzle 22, the discharge of which is directed forward into the cartridge chamber in the breech of the barrel 10. The

breech block 16 may be grooved as indicated at 55 to prevent overheatin f 23* stem 21 in any desired manner such as by means 35 to allow it to pass the projecting nozzle22 as it moves forward to insert the live cartridge in the chamber 36.

The valve housing I9 is closed at its forward extremity by means of a sealing plug 23 which. is threaded therein against a sealing gasket 24 A supply line nipple 25 projects from the housing for the reception of a flexible supply hose 33. The supply hose 33 is connected to a source of carbon-dioxide under pressure, so that the in-' terior of the housing 19 is always under the pres sure of this gas; The plug 23 is formed with a tubular valve stem guide 26 into which, a valve stem 21 is slidably mounted. The stem 21 can ries a valve disc 28 arranged to close a discharge port 29 leading to they hollow interior of the bracket 20. A compression spring 30 acts against the forward extremity of the stem 21 to con-- stantly urge the valve disc 28 to its seat.

The valve stem 21 is continued rearwardly so as to project from the back of the housing l9, as illustrated.

An abutment block 3| is mounted on the barrel frame casing immediately back of the projecting of suitable attachment screws 34. An adjustable stop screw 32 is threaded through the block 3| in axial alignment with the stem 21 so that the extremity of the screw may be contacted by the stem.

Operation As each shell fires, the barrel frame I4 moves backward carrying the housing IS with it. As the frame approaches its rearmost position, the stem 21 contacts the screw 32, thus stopping further movement of the valve disc and allowing the discharge port 25 to move away therefrom. Almost instantaneously with the contact, the breech block 16 will withdraw the fired shell from the firing chamber. Thus, the instant the shell is withdrawn the firing chamber will be subjected to a powerful blast of cold carbon-dioxide gas which will instantly absorb the heat of the explosion, and carry the gases from the muzzle of the gun. It will also completely fill the firing chamber and barrel with an extinguishing gas which will instantly extinguish any residual combustion in the barrel. The entrance of this cool extinguishing gas is so nearly instantaneous with the firing that there is little opportunity for the heat of combustion to transfer to the barrel.

Attempts have been made to scavenge machine gun barrels with air and water in various ways the firing chamber with the above described mechanism, all these objec-v tions have been eliminated. A cool non-corrosive, oxygen excluding, non-flammable gas is instantly introduced into the zone of highest temperature in the gun after each firing for immediate removal of the heat and immediate extinguishment of the combustion.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is .desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention; 1

@Having thus described the invention, What is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic repeating machine gun adapted for a continuous series of firing at a. rapid rate, comprising a barrel having a bore and a rear cartridge chamber, a barrel frame housing, a barrel frame sliding in said housing, a breech block sliding in said barrel frame to withdraw carfridges from said cartridge chamber during recoil movement of said block, the combination with a valve housing located outside of said gun and having a supply of carbon dioxide under pressure, of a nozzle means forming an outlet from said valve housing and extending to adjacent the bore of said barrel in position to direct a jet of carbon dioxide into said bore, valve means in said valve housing controlling the upply of carbon dioxide to said nozzle, and means connected to said barrel frame housing and actuating said valve means to open position upon rearward movement of said barrelirame to project the carbon dioxide jet into said barrel bore after each firing and before the following live cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge chamber so as to absorb heat from the 4 barrel by said carbon dioxide and charge it with carbon dioxide in advance of the next firing.

2. The combination in an automatic repeating machine-gun as set forth in claim 1 in which the valve means is open at the initial forward movement of the barrel frame.

3. The combination in an automatic repeating machine gun as set forth in claim 1 in which the valve means is open during a part of the backward movement of the breech block.

4. The combination in a machine gun having a barrel and barrel frame slidingly mounted in a housing and having an internal bore and cartridge chamber; of a sliding breech block adapted to Withdraw cartridge shells from said chamber during recoil movement of said block, a source of carbon dioxide under pressure outside of said housing, a nozzle means connected with said source and adapted to direct a jet of said carbon, dioxide at an angle into said cartridge chamber and barrel bore, valve means between said source and said nozzle means normally closed to retain fluid in said source, and means connected to said barrel frame housing for operating said valve means upon rearward movement of said barrel frame while said breech block is open so as to project a blast of said carbon dioxide from said nozzle means into said cartridge chamber and barrel bore after removal of the fired cartridge shell and before the insertion of the next successive cartridge in the cartridge chamber.

RAY J. MONNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,823 Smith Mar. 11, 1913 1,064,197 Dawson et al June 10, 1913 1,128,639 Tsukalas et al Feb. 16, 1915 1,160,778 Smart Nov. 16, 1915 304,984 Searle Nov. 21, 1905 436,899 Maxim Sept, 23, 1890 1,695,508 Skinner et a1 Dec, 18, 1928 1,351,017 Blackmore Aug. 31, 1920 

